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Best of Syrup: Highlighting home chefs, mountain dangers and a fast-moving river

Search and rescue has had a "bad year," according to a couple of search managers in B.C.
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Numerous searchers gather along the beach at Overlander Park in Kamloops on July 9 to look for a missing TRU student who was swept away in the river on July 6.

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Are you an amateur chef and live in South Delta?

The Food Network is looking for five individuals for an episode of Come Dine With Me Canada

The episode will air some time this fall.

Each participant will host a dinner party in their home, "showcasing culinary skills to impress their fellow contestants," reads a press release.

Find out mores on the Delta Optimist.

In other news, search and rescue managers in the Sea to Sky region are reporting a "bad year" so far. They say it's been a tough start to 2025, with several fatal or serious injury calls. 

Squamish SAR said they've responded to back-to-back calls this season.

“That's incredibly challenging for a group of people, who at the end of the day, are just people that want to give back to their community,” said search manager Tyler Duncan. 

The age of social media isn't helping either. Highlight reels of challenging, picturesque hikes give people a false sense they can do it without proper training. That can ultimately lead to negative outcomes, according to SAR.

Read the full story on the North Shore News.

Over in the Interior, Kamloops Fire Chief Ken Uzeloc is warning locals of swimming in the fast-moving river after a student was swept away last Sunday. The student had entered the water to retrieve a volleyball and was caught in the current. 

The city said it's been reviewing its warning signage, grappling with how to best notify the public that waterways are dangerous.

“We are trying to educate and do some more information, get it out there for people. And this is me as a public safety professional, saying is messaging ever going to be enough?” Uzeloc told Castanet.

Looking to cool down? Seek out a pool or a lake, he said, so you're not battling moving water. 

Anyone who does want to swim in the river is asked to do so at Riverside Park when there are lifeguards on duty.

What is Syrup?

Our parent company, Lodestar Media, launched a new social newsfeed for Canadians.

Syrup helps fill the gap left by Meta's ban on Canadian news. 

It's a space Canadian journalists can share their stories, free of ads and bots. Everyday folks can post too, engage with journalists in the comments and upvote their favourite stories.

We're just getting started.

(We even have a sweet contest going on right now, to get folks communicating and connecting.)

Join the Syrup family today!

Each week, we'll highlight three (or more) stories on Syrup in this best of article.

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